Peninsula Self Defense Training Academy

very welcoming environment. instructors and students alike, they make you feel part of the team and family immediately. Even in chatter, I heard people talk about preferring PSD over other gyms because of the vibe and family feel.
just signed up and have already learned so much while getting a killer work out at my pace/​tempo.

The best place around for JKD, FMA, and BJJ! So welcoming and expert training — I feel right at home while learning incredible material!

Amazing place!
The training center came highly recommended by a good friend and we decided to check it out for one of our kids.
The whole experience has been so genuine, high quality, thorough.
The teaching is second to none.
Our son loves going there.

This place is the real deal.
They have instructors that you can tell really care too teach you too learn the art.
The people in charge here were trained by Bruce Lee himself.
They have a lot of great classes for kids and adults.
I love the variety.
They have jeet kun do which is hard too find .
They also have eskrima, muay thai, etc.
The place is pretty big and very comfortable.
I”ve always found parking too be easy.
They have an area where you can buy drinks.
Most of there classes are all in the evening and the prices aren’t bad.
The place is also very very clean

Eric’s breakdown of moves are excellent and he teaches with great attention to technical details. On top of that, everybody at PSD is very friendly and welcoming.
He is the real deal– a Jean Jacques Machado black belt.
A great place to train bjj!

I was pretty much talked into tagging along by some of my friends who were members here. It was supposed to be a onetime thing since the GYM is way too far from my house and I thought I was too old to start. 4 months later, I’m here 3 times a week doing 4 BJJ classes and two Kickboxing sessions (Taught by another good instructor on a separate are of the GYM). Instructor is a great guy and members are very welcoming. I would say within your first month you will see a clear difference between yourself and someone that has never trained BJJ before. It’s the best cardio exercises and would definitely come handy in a self defense situation. I would warn you that you can become very addicted and get in a the best shape of your life so be careful.

Not only is Eric’s instruction top notch, but the philosophy he brings to the art motivates you to be a better person, both on and off the mat.
One of the things you’ll notice when training here is the lack of meatheads on the team. Great people who check their ego’s at the door, all with the common goal of making a positive difference in their lives.
I have trained here for the past year. I had very limited experience with martial arts: a week trial here and there. Not being very athletic myself, I knew that I was hooked after my first class of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when I was out of breath but craving more. I’ve never experienced anything like that with any physical activity.
If you’re a beginner, don’t be worried that there’s no «beginners-​only» classes. We all share the responsibility of getting you up to speed and invest in you to have more people to train with and challenge us! You may be frustrated at first without a set curriculum, but it allows you to learn organically and apply concepts in the way that fits you best as you develop your style. I was terrified my first week but soon saw the beauty in being utterly confused and allowing my mind to put the puzzle together.
See you on the mat!

PSD is the TOP NOTCH martial arts facility in the area. Eric Acha, the Coaches, facilities, and training are SECOND TO NONE! They have the BEST GROUND AND STAND UP programs for all ages and levels!
I rarely write Unilocal reviews any more but for this place I’m back! Growing up training in martial arts, I know
the headache and heartache usually involved in searching for the right martial arts school and facilty.
1) The arts and concepts they teach are deeply rooted, tested, yet progressive! Jean Jacques Machado BJJ (the only Bay Area affiliate), JKD, Kali, STXT Kickboxing… etc)
2) the instructors and coaches are highly skilled and passionate about what they teach and more importantly know how to develop and sharpen different levels of students. We are a FAMILY first that trains together. NO EGOS here. From the youngest students on they are taught to dominate humbly.
3) There are NO HIGH PRESSURE SALES! They let their courses and instruction speak for themselves. They don’t sell belts here, you earn it. They don’t charge you for testing and they don’t try to lock you in for commitment contracts. They don’t need to!
Personally I came in to start my 3 year old daughter training in BJJ. They have recently added a class specifically for 3 – 5 year olds that has no equals in the Bay Area! The coaches are patient and motivating. My daughter’s energy, focus and skills gets sharpened every time she steps on the mat and more importantly she carries it over to the real world when she steps off. My daughter loves her coaches! I will forever be grateful to the PSD coaches and staff/​family for this! They invited me to stay and train as well and we have never left.
I work in a profession that relies on the above types of skill sets to not only succeed but survive. I work odd hours and train constantly. Even with this I take EVERY opportunity I get to train at PSD. With their training I was able to drop over 20lbs, gain 4 lbs muscle, increase agility, mental and physical stamina. This helped me reach and maintain an elite level of my profession. Priceless in my book!
As you can see I can go on for days. Go there you’ll see.

I have trained here for the past couple of years PSD is great. Also, both of my daughters also train Brazilian Jujitsu. Eric Acha is so knowledgeable and technical in Brazilian Jujitsu and a great role model not just on kids but also on adults as well. It’s a great place to train, great environment, everyone treats you like family. When you walk in the building, you will feel welcome and you will walk out with an smile on your face. I would recommend PSD any time.

I didn’t know what to expect the first day I walked in but by the time I ended that first class I knew I wasn’t leaving anytime soon. Everyone was so friendly, funny and knowledgeable on the mat. The instructor, Eric Acha, challenges his students everyday to improve their bjj skills by introducing different techniques.
Peninsula Self Defense is home to a strong group of competitors because of the positive training environment all of the members have helped create. Its members are very passionate about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu!
I would highly recommend this academy to both children and adults!

The best place in the area to train jits! Great owner/​instructor, friendly atmosphere, great training partners, beautiful huge facility!

My son started training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Peninsula Self Defense (PSD) a few weeks after his 4^th birthday. He is now 6 ½ years old and continues to look forward to every single class. He has class 4 days a week (3 weekdays & 1 weekend), a very good deal for the price we pay. When we shopped around, most activities we found that fit our schedule ran only once or twice a week for more than the fees at PSD. The lessons my son has learned have been invaluable. Not only is he learning a great skill, he has also gained positive role models via his sensei, Eric Acha, and the other coaches. As a parent, I am glad that everyone working with my son is patient and kind. They not only care about teaching him skills in BJJ, but also emphasize respect, discipline, honor, and good values. In addition, PSD has not only welcomed my son but my entire family as well. We couldn’t be happier with PSD and encourage everyone looking for a positive, pro-​social activity (adults and children alike) to join the PSD family.

This is a family run business and you feel it as soon as you enter. Everyone is kind, honest and helpful. Everyone here really wants you to be the best you can be. The facility is very professional, the mat area is huge. If you are new to the sport (of bjj) and don’t know where to go, don’t look anywhere else.

PSD IS EXCELLENT
My opinion’s based on approx. 7 scattered years of experience: almost 1 at PSD plus 6 chiefly at Gracie schools or affiliates in NYC, Mountain View, and Marin County.
PSD’s owner is talented (Jean Jacques Machado black belt), passionate, safe, responsible (works in law enforcement), excellent with kids (a family man), and a warm & happy person. His students mirror these qualities, and help each other learn. I can directly attribute my growing confidence in two positions (knee-​on-​belly, mount) and ability to pass a knee shield, to personal coaching. And the list of submissions I’ve refined include the paper-​cutter and bow-​and-​arrow.
It’s a community of friends who happen to try and choke each other out.
PS — I enrolled my daughter in the kids’ class. She’s enthusiastic (despite being the smallest). And my wife, a regular mom who’d looked at me aghast when I’d first suggested some sort of grappling for the kid, was quickly won over.

Peninsula Self Defense training academy has far surpassed my expectations as a positive and fun activity for my daughter. She just turned 6 and has been going there for close to a year and absolutely loves it. We go 4 days a week and she never says she doesn’t want to go. Her progress is amazing, the kids learn very fast because of the premium instruction given by Eric and his staff (Rony, Yolanda, Aracely and Vianney). My husband also joined the adult class which takes place after the kids class. It sparked his interest very quickly after my daughter joined. Jiu Jitsu quickly became his new passion (as it is for my daughter as well) and it is wonderful that they have an activity that they can do together. As a matter of fact they both just participated in the same tournament and both won first place and brought home gold medals! My 4 year old daughter will soon begin and I would like to start as well when my infant gets a little older. I could go on forever about all of the things I love about this gym but I will keep it short: Knowledgeable instructors who really care and customize there way of teaching to suit the needs of each child individually, promotes a team mentality and makes the child (or adult) feel like they are a part of something, great exercise while teaching the kids good discipline and gives them a priceless skill of self defense that will stay with them forever, very rewarding as they are promoted in rankings making them feel a sense of accomplishment, not to mention the cost is very reasonable. Peninsula Self Defense is our home away from home and we have built a lot of close friendships with the other families that go there. I strongly recommend getting involved with this training academy!

My son has been taking the Jiu Jitsu class for the past 5 months. First day of class he was timid, reserved & scared. His instructor, Eric, gave him a talk full of wisdom & encouragement. Each day we went to class, I could see my son’s level of self esteem grow. All of my son’s instructors Eric, Yolanda, Rony, Cookie, Aracely are patient and really take the time to instruct the kids. The level of support they give my son is amazing. PSD is our second home & everyone there is our extended family.

If you’re not familiar with jiujitsu, think of it as a type of wrestling. We wear a cotton judo-​type gi uniform with a wide collar all around for gripping. I love jiujitsu because there are enough rules to keep me safe, but also enough flexibility to really test my skills and endurance.
Eric is running a great gym. The environment is friendly, supportive, safe. There’s an emphasis on learning, sharing ideas, giving feedback. Technique over strength means taking down the power and speed in favor of learning the basics. I really like that.
Eric is very smart as a jiujitsu player, and it comes through in his teaching. He breaks things down very nicely, the technique is clear, and the drills are on target. Plus he always has a good tip when I get stuck and wonder what could have I done against a big guy. In jiujitsu there is always something that can be improved on. It really is a strategic game, which I like.
Eric gives us a great work-​out and stretch to start. The emphasis on conditioning is very helpful. Then there’s focused practice on a technique, tips, and finally we practice sparring. It’s an amazing workout and I nice group of folks.
Another bonus here is that Tue/​Thu Eric runs classes in «striking», with a highly practical bent, covering punching, kicking, take-​downs. And of course lots of conditioning. Then Brenda (who is a great teacher) does JKD and Filipino stick fighting.
If you’re new to martial arts, if you’re looking for a good workout, this is a great place to come and check out. Nice folks here.

Whether you would like to learn how to Kick A-​S-​S, get in shape, step up your workout regimen or simply find a new hobby. PSD has got your back!!! PSD offers a variety of classes. Men, women and kids.
They also provide tactical defense training for Police officers and public safety professionals which I really recommend.
Go talk to Eric Acha, he is the man with the master plan.P.s Never under underestimate him,.lol. I did and I was chocked out.lol.